PHC4 Releases Research Brief on Sepsis Hospitalizations in Pennsylvania

October 04, 2017

Today, the Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council (PHC4) released findings from its analysis of sepsis hospitalizations in Pennsylvania for 2016.

Sepsis (also known as blood poisoning) is an often deadly disease that sometimes occurs when the body is overwhelmed by infection. Sepsis can be difficult to diagnose, because it often happens quickly, and can be confused with other conditions. Each year, sepsis strikes more than one million Americans and more than a quarter of them will die. During 2016, nearly 8,500 Pennsylvanians died from sepsis. Early detection, treatment, and bundle compliance are key to decreasing sepsis deaths.

According to PHC4’s research brief, Sepsis Hospitalizations in Pennsylvania, patients hospitalized with sepsis saw a 28 percent decrease in the average length of stay during 2016 compared to 2008—the average length of stay for patients hospitalized with sepsis was 8.2 days during 2016, and 11.4 days during 2008. In-hospital mortality rates and 30-day readmission rates also dropped double digits by 47 percent and 22 percent, respectively.

The report states the number of hospital admissions related to sepsis increased 89 percent comparing 2016 to 2008 for adult hospital admissions (age 18 and older). Sepsis-related admissions amounted to $1.7 billion in hospital payments during 2016.

During September, The Hospital and Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania’s (HAP) Hospital Improvement Innovation Network (HIIN) hosted a successful conference focused on sepsis awareness and prevention. The program, Raising the Bar for Sepsis Care in Pennsylvania, was attended by more than 220 physicians, nurses, and sepsis team members from across the state.

Later this month, HAP’s Hospital Improvement Innovation Network (HIIN) will kick-off its exciting new project, “ExSEPSIS- Exiting with Excellent Care!” which will teach participating organizations how to formulate a plan to improve sepsis readmissions in their hospitals.

For more information about the new HIIN project, ExSEPSIS, or other HAP HIIN initiatives, please contact Lisa Lesko, director, quality initiatives.